Welcome to the Washington DC Family History Center
7th Annual Conference

Class Descriptions

SESSION 1
1-1	Read All About Your Ancestors by Locating Historic Newspapers Angela McGhie Newspapers can be a valuable resource for genealogical data. Discover which newspapers were printed in the time and location your ancestors lived, and how to access them now. Major collections of digitized newspapers will be covered.
1-2	Google for Genealogists Dr. Margaret McMahon Learn how to search for ancestors using Google and its tools. You will learn how to construct searches to look for your ancestors on the web and be introduced to the use of selected search techniques.
1-3	Observations of U.S. Colored Troops Widows Pension Records Bernice Bennett This session will discuss the range of information and evidence provided by widows, previous slave owners, witnesses and other family members observed in the United States Colored Troops Widows Pension Applications.
1-4	Researching in New York City Sharon Hodges You live here, but your ancestors lived there! Your immigrant ancestors came to New York City, but you don't know how to find them? This lecture introduces you to repositories, institutions and websites you can use to create your own individual search strategy that you can follow from your home or on your next research trip.
1-5	Branching Out on Your Family Tree Mary Jean Sokolowsky Have you gone back as far as you can on your family tree? Want to know who has the family Bible and pictures? Try coming forward on your tree. Learn how to branch out and find descendents of your ancestors, cousins, who may help you. In the process, you'll learn more about your family story.
1-6	The Essentials of Eastern European Research, Part 1 Mary Ann Evan You may have heard about the fellow who was born in Austria, went to school in Hungary, married in Russia, died in Ukraine, and considered himself to be Polish � while never once having left his village. Or you may have seen United States census records in which people seem to change their birthplace every ten years. This session will trace the historical, geographical, linguistic, social, and ethnic forces that gave rise to situations like these and that complicate genealogical research in Eastern Europe.
SESSION 2
2-1	The Pros and Cons of Genealogy Technology DearMYRTLE This class offers real-life examples of how to work around challenges posed by compiled genealogy databases, websites, and indices, including a problem associated with the very useful "Google Earth". Sometimes there is no substitute for "boots on the ground" experience.
2-2	What the US Federal Population Census Can and Cannot Do for Genealogists Julia Coldren-Walker A review of the original purpose of the Federal Population Census and the information that was collected between 1790 and 1940. We look at the problems with the census undercounts and the entries for name, age, birthplace, ethnicity and relationship. We learn what can be determined from the entries and what cautions genealogists should take interpreting the data.
2-3	Finding Native American Ancestors in 19th and 20th Century Records Angela Y. Walton-Raji Many families refer to an ancestor as having Indian ancestry and assume that there are no records that reflect this history. However, in both the 19th and 20th centuries, there are hundreds of records to document persons of Native Ancestry. This workshop will focus on records from the mid 19th century to early 20th century, reflecting Indian ancestors and blended families.
2-4	DNA�The Newest Tool for Genealogists: Y-DNA, mtDNA and Family Finder Tests James Bartlett This presentation will provide simple explanations of how DNA works - no biology needed. You will learn how to use DNA test results to learn more about your surname line and your all-female ancestry, the genealogies of your ancestors, finding biological fathers, linking SURNAME tree branches, and discovering your ancestry before records, including Deep Ancestry. Included are DNA tests for your all-male ancestry, for your all-female ancestry, and the newest test, for men or women, that reports DNA links with your cousins from all of your ancestors.
2-5	Beginning Genealogy, Part 1 Lorraine Minor Learn the genealogical research process, how to record and evaluate information, cite sources used, maintain a research calendar and develop a research plan.
2-6	The Essentials of Eastern European Research, Part 2 Mary Ann Evan This session is designed to provide tools to help the genealogist answer the toughest questions in Eastern European research: What was my immigrant ancestor�s original name? Where was he or she born? And where can I find records of his or her origin and family? It is designed for beginning to intermediate researchers.
SESSION 3
3-1	Courthouse Research Phyllis Legare Courthouses have wonderful research resources. Imagine having at your fingertips access to Wills, Land records, Court Cases, Guardianship information� and the list goes on. And also find Historians and Archivists when you�re at the Courthouse. Visiting the Courthouse is a must!
3-2	Brick Walls -- They Can Come Down! Cheryl Singhals and Vernon Skinner This Brick Wall Session will offer strategies for gettingover, under, around, or through your Brick Walls. A brickwall is defined as a problem that is long-standing (5 years minimum) and resistant to intermediate �level research. Attendees are invited to email their brick wall questions to Kensingtonbrickwalls@gmail.com. The panelists will review these prior to the conference and address the questions during this session.
3-3	Using Wills in Family History Research Sue Mortensen It is estimated that as many as half of the pre-1900 adult population either left a will or was mentioned in one. This class will show you how to find and read wills and how to use wills to add color to your family narrative. Because each will tells a story!
3-4	The Fire Burned--Now What? Finding Your WWII Relative Sharon Hodges The US entered World War II in December 1941. More people than ever are attempting to find out exactly what their relatives did in WWII, but many are finding that the personnel file was burned. This session will explain what records are available and where to locate them in order learn what your relative did during the war. (Emphasis will be placed on Army and Army Air Force records, but sufficient information will also be given on where to locate Navy, Coast Guard and Marine records).
3-5	Beginning Genealogy, Part 2 Lorraine Minor Learn more about evaluating information with a case study and then how to get started with researching your family and where to do your research.
3-6	The International Tracing Service - The Closed Archive That Is Now Open After More Than 60 Years Tom Sadauskas The International Tracing Service collected more than 50 million German and Allied records containing information on over 17.5 million persons.
SESSION 4
4-1	Exploring the FamilySearch Wiki Angela McGhie The Research Wiki is a free collection of family history research guides and articles provided by genealogists from around the world. There are over 70,000 articles on genealogical records, locations and methods that are a valuable resource for genealogists. This presentation will demonstrate how to search the Wiki and highlight a variety of useful articles.
4-2	Genealogy and Social Networking Dr. Margaret McMahon Explore the use of social networking in genealogical research, from message boards to Second Life.
4-3	Researching Your Civil War Ancestor Debra Hoffman This lecture will provide information on resources for researching your Civil War soldier. Additionally, two case studies will be covered--one Union and one Confederate--to illustrate the types of information that can be uncovered.
4-4	Intermediate DNA for Genealogists James Bartlett Solving specific genealogy problems with DNA. This presentation will cover adoptions and other situations where a parent is unknown, finding a maiden name, targeting specific genealogical questions, tips and tricks for using autosomal DNA (atDNA), like Family Finder, to prove all your ancestral lines. Every genealogist should take this test - learn how to get the most from it!
4-5	The Magic of Roots Magic Charles Howard This class will explore the many features of the RootsMagic genealogy software program. It will feature helpful tips, short cuts, data entry, citing sources, searching the web, adding images and files, a review of the free and paid versions and much, much more.
4-6	Beginning German Research Vernon Skinner This session examines researching your German ancestors in Germany. After an introduction of German history & language is a discussion of what kinds of records are available, where to look, and how best to use them.
SESSION 5
5-1	Jumping or Leaping: What to Do When the Answer Isn't Obvious DearMYRTLE When a single record doesn't provide the family relationship information we desire, genealogists must review a variety of extant records to infer family relationships. This class discusses how to document conclusions when our research may have taken a few seemingly obscure twists and turns.
5-2	Research at the DAR Library: There and From Home Julia Coldren-Walker An overview of resources at the DAR Library and Seimes Microfilm Center and what is available on-line from home. Library organization including book call system, catalog, and Genealogical Records Committee Index and available on-line databases, Seimes collection of microfilm and access to DAR applications and proof documents.
5-3	African-Portuguese Immigration Nathania Branch-Miles This workshop is designed to assist family historians and genealogists whose ancestors came from Portuguese colonies along the western coast of Africa such as Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and the Azores to name a few. This workshop will help researchers with clues to finding the ancestors who �didn�t come through Ellis Island" and have been here for a long time. Tips include how to locate your ancestor through researching documents and photographs at home, U.S. records such as passenger arrival lists, alien registration records, fraternal society and Portuguese records.
5-4	DNA Consultations James Bartlett An informal session where participants can ask questions and receive feedback about their individual DNA test results, surname projects and other related issues.
5-5	Family History Meets the 21st Century; The Joys of Uncovering and Preserving Your Family's Stories Lin Joyce Preserving your life story matters, and the process is much easier than you may think. Learn how to begin your search and about resources that will enable you to reap the joys and rewards of "saving a life" -- yours!